Cucumber

Updated: June 30, 2012 1:16 pm

Cucumber, just the thought of it gives us a cool feeling. This crunchy vegetable comes handy to beat the scorching summer heat. This is a low calorie vegetable and has more nutrients to offer than just water and electrolytes. This crop is being cultivated in the northern plains of India for many centuries.

Cucumber not only quenches our thirst in the sweltering heat but also takes care of our body from the summer diseases. It protects our eyes from various bacterial infections, keeps the body hydrated, helps the kidneys function normally, keeps urinary infections at bay and makes our skin glow.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CUCUMBER

■ It is a very good source of potassium, an important intracellular electrolyte. Potassium is a heart healthy electrolyte that helps reduce blood pressure and heart rate by countering effects of sodium.

■ Cucumber juice protects the body from different skin problems like psoriasis, eczema or flakey skin. The anti-oxidants that are present in cucumber help the skin retain a healthy cell growth.

■ Make paste of cucumber and use it as a face mask. The juice enters through the pores of your skin, keeps the skin moisturised, makes your skin smooth and soft, cool and rejuvenated, gives a sparkle to your eyes, relaxes your face muscles and keeps you relaxed within no time. After 10 to 15 minutes wash off with cold water. It even helps in reducing the swelling around your eyes and dark circles.

■ Cucumber is the best anti-inflammatory food as it relieves thirst, cures fever and diarrhea.

■ Cucumber is also rich in Vitamin E which is a good anti-aging agent. In addition, cucumber enzyme helps in the metabolism of the body.

■ A combination of cucumber, beet root and carrot is considered to be one of the best home remedies for gall bladder stones. This formula has proven its efficacy not only in the case of stones but also in the case of several gall bladder disorders.

■ Cucumber juice is beneficial also for those suffering from thyroid.

■ Cucumber contains some essential nutrients that are beneficial for patients suffering from alcoholic liver cirrhosis and other liver diseases.

■ Cucumber juice is a great natural hypoglycemic agent for diabetic patients.

■ A particular acid that is present in cucumber can restrain the formation of carbohydrate from fat in our body. Cucumber pulp helps in the detoxification and reduction of bad cholesterol from our bodies.

■ Surprisingly, cucumber also has a high amount of Vitamin K, which has been found to have a prospective role in bone strengthening by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity.

■ It has established its role in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease by limiting the neuronal damage to the brain of patients suffering from it.